Troubleshoot Your Knee Pain with this One Exercise!

Last week I went to Boulder to get worked on by my fellow fascia release practitioner and personal trainer friend Jason. I desperately needed to get stepped on and it was amazing!

While there, we decided to film this quick video on knee pain. We've both experienced knee pain ourselves and it's one of the most common ailments we see with our clients. My ultimate goal is for you to look at your pain with curiosity instead of fear, so the more tools you have for troubleshooting your pain the better!

In this video, Jason and I walk through a step up exercise. You can use a step, box, stable chair, or simply go up and down your stairs.

Noticing when and where you feel your knee pain during this movement can tell you a lot about what areas of fascia are tight!

Here are the links to our recommended foam rolling techniques:

1. If you feel knee pain in your top leg when you step up on the stair, start by releasing:

Quad

IT band

2. If you feel pain in the knee that's stepping down off the stair and planting on the ground, start by releasing:

Quad (especially low towards the knee)

Calf (high, lateral area especially)

3. If you feel pain in the knee that's behind you when stepping down, start releasing:

Hamstring

Calf

My recommendation is to do the foam rolling techniques that best fit your pain 3-4 days over this next week. Once your fascia has begun to loosen and your pain starts to recede, adding strength training is an incredible addition for keeping your pain away!

Stay tuned for next week's video for our top 3 strength training exercises for knee pain.

If you are looking for an amazing fascia release practitioner in the Boulder area, check out Jason!

• How can a step-up exercise help diagnose knee pain?

  A step-up exercise acts as a movement assessment. Paying attention to when and where knee pain shows up during the step-up can reveal which areas of your fascia are restricted. Different phases of the movement load different tissues, giving valuable clues about the true source of pain.

• Why does my knee hurt when stepping up onto a stair or box?

  Pain in the top knee during a step-up is commonly linked to restricted fascia in the quadriceps or IT band. Tightness in these areas can alter how force is transferred through the leg, placing excess strain on the knee joint.

• Why does my knee hurt when stepping down or landing?

  Pain when stepping down or planting the foot often points to fascial restriction in the lower quadriceps or calves—especially the upper, outer calf. These areas play a major role in shock absorption and knee control during deceleration.

• Can tight fascia in the calves or hamstrings cause knee pain?

  Yes. Fascia is a connected system, and restrictions in the calves or hamstrings can pull on the structures around the knee. Pain felt behind the knee during step-downs is frequently linked to tight hamstrings or calf fascia rather than a knee injury itself.

• Should I strengthen my knee before or after releasing fascia?

  Fascia release should come first. Releasing tight fascia helps reduce pain, restore movement, and allow muscles to activate properly. Once pain decreases and movement improves, strength training becomes far more effective for keeping knee pain from returning.